1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to a technique for calculating the “social score” of users of social websites to determine the “social leaders”. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods to quantify more accurately the degree and extent of influence a user of a social site has.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Web or network-based applications having a social aspect are increasing in both number and popularity. For example, websites such as Facebook®, Twitter®, and LinkedIn®, to name just a few, are fast becoming some of the most visited and used websites on the Internet. These sites provide channels of communication, comment, viewpoint, etc., for all the users, as well as for the people with whom the user is in contact, or who are in contact with the user, whether directly or indirectly. Although each of these social sites is quite different, they share in common some key concepts. For instance, each of these social sites allows a user to define his or her relationship with other users, and in some instances, other objects or entities. These relationships can be defined as, e.g., “followers” on Twitter®, “friends” on Facebook®, or “connections” on LinkedIn®. In addition, each of these social sites allows users to provide comments concerning the information displayed, or shown, by other users with whom the user is in contact, such as “likes” and/or “comments” relating to postings, messages, viewpoints, reviews, pictures and the like.
Anecdotally, certain people could be “identified” as possible “social leaders” on each of these sites, such as by counting the number of “friends”, “followers” and/or “connections” of a person. However, attempting to use such a one-dimensional view or aspect of an individual (even of a “famous” person) on such social sites can be misleading because the actual influence of that person over his or her “friends”, “followers” and/or “connections” cannot be determined. In fact, there is presently no way to measure the actual potential influence users of social sites actually have with respect to their “friends”, “followers” and “connections” and, therefore, there is no way to assess who may be a social leader.
Therefore, a need exists to have a method to quantify more accurately the degree and extent of influence which a user of a social site has with respect to his or her “friends”, “followers” and “connections”, and the like, rather than rely only upon anecdotal parameters, such as the mere number of a person's followers.
The quantification of the actual influence that a user of a social site may have should find use with respect to, e.g., advertisers, manufacturers, websites, etc. If the actual influence of the user of a social site can be quantified, an entity, e.g., an advertiser, will be able to direct an advertising campaign or other information to the social leader with some degree of confidence that the “friends”, “followers” and “connections” of the social leader are likely to become aware of that information. If the social leader comments positively about the information, the “friends”, “followers” and “connections” may be persuaded in a direction desired by the advertiser. In another example, by using an objectively calculated social score, websites directed to particular fields or products will be more likely to identify, contact and persuade social leaders who will influence others to visit the websites. contact and persuade social leaders who will influence others to visit the websites.
In short, social leaders are those identified by the clout, influence and popularity that they have vis-à-vis “friends”, “followers” and “connections”.
These and other needs are met according to the present disclosure, as will be more fully described in the paragraphs that follow.